Twisted
by Roaniegal
Summary: In the time of King Ahadi, he had a son- Prince Takari, or as he was always called, Taka. When did this villian become Scar? What made him this way, and can he ever find light in his darkening path? Follow the Prince from birth until death, see why his life was just so...twisted.
1. The Great Beginning

"A son. Your son!" Uhru said softly as she moved her paws to reveal a brown cub. "Our son! The heir to the Pridelands." Ahadi said proudly as the newborn yawned then went back to sleep. As the sun shone high the next morning, Ahadi breathed a sigh, Their first cub, a son, had been born late the night before. The new prince was a great mixture of him and his girl, Uhru. The Queen had been exhausted; the cub, two weeks early, had been smaller than average but healthy, and today the whole kingdom would bow before Prince Takari, the heir of the Pridelands.

A few months passed, until the day every Pride-land Prince longed for: The date that marked their birth six months of passing, the day their father and/or mother went up to the summit at dawn and taught the heirs about the kingdom. Prince Taka was so happy when the day came that he woke everybody in the den when sun up arrived. The protesting groans of lionesses filled the cave. King Ahadi and Queen Uhru laughed and then both let out yawns. The Prince bounced about, stepping on Zira in the process. "Ouch! Get off!" Taka bit her ear in return, starting their favorite game as all felines arose and began to carry out daily duties. "Get out!" "Yeah? Get a life!"

They began to growl and claw and nip, until Abasi snarled at her daughter. "Stop, child. Go get me some food." Her tone was sharp, but her eyes held a twinkle, if you looked hard enough. "Zira, dear, what am I going to do with you?" Zira lowered her head in shame until her mother nuzzled her. "Baby girl, you need to be careful. You might hurt the Prince- or yourself." "Or you." Abasi shook her head. "Anyway, this discussion is over. Go get some food and we will eat together while Taka has his lessons." Taka looked at the older lioness sweetly, but inside he was boiling with fury. She was so mean to Zira. To everyone, actually. Losing her stupid mate a week earlier to hyena's had took its toll. She had arrived in time to fight them off, but her back leg had gone lame. She then had laid down in the pouring rain to nuzzle her mate until his eyes faded, getting very sick in the meantime. Still recovering, she was hostile to her daughter and anyone who spoke. She had also began to show signs of being with cub, though she denied it to no end. Taka sighed, then brightened as his parents led him to the summit.

Two hours later, he raced to Zira happily, screeching to a halt as he watched Redasa stride up to her. "Zira, hi. Wanna go up to the-" "No, Red, I don't. I wait for Taka." "That furball?" "The future KING." Zira said. Redasa was humiliated. "Aw, why hang around that fuzzy disgrace when you could have me 24/7?" Zira shoved him away. "Get lost, I love him. And YOU aren't worth my time." "HOW DARE YOU!" he snarled, leaping onto her back. "Get off of her!" Taka screeched as he raced to Red and leapt on, his jumping weight pulling the male off his best friend. A brawl ensued, and, perhaps it was because Taka was fighting for her honor, and not for his own that he got the upper paw. He bit Red's ear with all his might, a chunk falling off. Red's eyes were full of pain, but also fury. "My EAR! You'll pay for that, scumbag." Redasa slashed Takari's face hard, throwing the prince backwards, and onto the ground. Taka looked up from where he lay and tried to get up. "My PAW! It _hurts!_" He sobbed then looked up at Red and let out a half-snarl. Eyes filled with terror, he gasped. "RUN!" Zira followed his gaze, as did Red. A single hyena stood there, drooling with hunger. The three cubs froze as fear consumed them. That's when the hyena jumped for Zira.

**A/N: Well, here it is! My first stroy! I've written a lot of this but am going to make it a multi-chapter. It will have some twists (duh) and will follow young Prince Taka/Scar from birth until death.**


	2. Exiles and Injuries

"NOT HER!" Takari rasped, forgetting the pain in his paw as he slugged himself onto the neck of the beast. "Both of you! Leave!" "NEVER! Not without you!" Zira answered. "I can hold him for a while. I'll be okay." Zira shook her head. "Zira, listen to me! I will be okay! I will! I swear, you can leave me, I have to be okay! I can't marry you if I'm dead!" Though the words held double meaning, she nodded and raced off. "Bakkar, STOP!" Another lone hyena bounced up. "Drop him. Unless you are the meal I serve the clan." The female's words held a threat, and Taka hit the ground. "Attacking children! Gracious, what is wrong with you?" She seemed annoyed that this had happened, then took a look at Taka. "GRACIOUS, honey, I gotta get you home quick." A furious stare at the male hyena made him shake. "Come." She gently picked up the prince, and the two carried him to his home.

"Takari! MY BABY!" Uhru cried as her sons' beaten body came into view. Zira and Redasa had just gotten home, and were about to explain where the Crown Prince was when hyenas and cub made it to the rock. "LET GO OF MY SON!" Ahadi roared. The female lifted her eyes to the king, softly putting Taka down. "Your highness, I ask-" "You don't get to make requests, DEMON." "No, dear. Let her speak. I want to know her excuse." Uhru's soft voice carried through his anger. "Fine. But make it quick, Soulless creature." She bowed before the royals. "Thank you graciously, Sire. I simply come to bring him home. The wretch beside me is the one who has harmed our prince. I brought him here for you to deal with. We were in your lands. Your jurisdiction is needed for a punishment, Sir." Ahadi looked baffled. "Do you not have consequences lined? Any why in MY lands?"

The female was silent for a moment. "Rules, regulations, orders… we have them. But by my councils law, since this one is my husband and father to our pups, I can never condemn him of anything. No matter what the charge. And I was in your lands because I am to pup in three months, Your Grace. In our lands, some new wreps have joined, ones I have not learned of yet. Many new ones have no laws from home, so are not accustomed to following such a thing. The one I carry may be killed in our lands, so I needed a shelter to use until it becomes old enough to learn what a claw is."

She looked at her mate with fury. "We may usually rule differently, Your Majesty, but his actions were unacceptable. When the mocker came to fly throughout the lands with news of your sons' ceremony, I forced Bakkar to attend. Many times, a royal is lost and clans are ruined, massacred because a hyena attacked without knowing. I brought him there to assure that wouldn't happen to our clan, but he seems to have taken no heed. So, punishment is yours."

Ahadi sighed. He lowered his head to Taka, roughly cleaning him and finding all the rips in the fur. " Most are not made by a hyena, but by another cub." The king sniffed. "REDASA!" The young one whimpered. "I deal with you later. For now… Hyena! Cleanse my son with your tongue. Then, stand before me." Bakkar made a disgusted sound but obeyed. He lowered himself as far as possible as Ahadi sat before him. "I SAID STAND, NOT COWER, creature!" Bakkar stood.

"Now… you have harmed my son. The only acceptable punishment for this is my neck around yours." Uhru made a small sound in the back of her throat. "Dear, let us not do that. Not today. He did not kill Taka, barely scratched him. I say, take your claw- a SINGLE claw- and slash him seven times and then let him be." Ahadi looked at her with a mix of anger and astonishment. "And then I will inflict my punishment." The king nodded, slashed the hyena seven times as hard as he could, then turned to his wife. She threw back her head, aligning it with her noble shoulders. If ever there was a Queen that never should be questioned, it was she. She stared at the creature coldly. "You are to suffer in the Land of Rogues and Thorns for two months. Your wife is free to stay here, if she wishes. Shelter for herself and her pup will be at high priority. When your time of punishment is done, come here to reclaim your place- and your wife if she stays."

The hyena snarled. "Not right! I have eat too. And why I believe you care for mate and pup? Kill us as soon as ya's leek ad us, ye daw." She glared at him. "Shat it, Dog." He looked surprised. "If you die, you die. No different than your clan." Uhru was quiet for a second. "Your wife will have say in this. How does it sound for you?" The female's jaw nearly dropped. "Gracious, My Queen… is it even law for me to make decisions on these grasses?" "It is if I decide so." Uhru said. The hyena smiled. "Then make it eight months. And I will stay here." Bakkar's eyes became slits. "Fine. As for YOU," Bakkar snapped, staring at his wife. "I hope you die while pupping. And may the Prince suffer!" He raced off. "Zuzu, make sure he gets to the Land of Rogues and Thorns." Immediately the bird was off.

The Queen heavily sighed, leaning her body against a rock wall. Then, her closed eyes opened, and Redasa was in her front claws, dangling over the end of Priderock. She turned to Red's mother. "GIVE ME ONE REASON! A single reason not to drop him off the edge!" His mother, Atsu, opened her mouth and gasped out desperately: "NO! I beg of you! Anything but my baby! Take my life, not his. Or… Or exile us to Rogues and Thorns! Anything but my son!" She went onto her front paws. "PLEASE! Have mercy, Your Highness!" Uhru glowered at Redasa, then threw the cub at his mothers' chest. "Exiled. You can stay until sun-high tomorrow." The lioness raced off, shaking and crying.

Then the queen turned to the hyena. "What is your name?" "Gracious, My Queen, I am unworthy of revealing my name! But I am called Forgotten." The Queen wrinkled her nose. "Why that?" The hyena looked away.

"When I was very small, the leader of the clan banished me and my younger brother. He died without milk, and I lived only because of the kindness of an old mandrill. Rafiki was his name. He fed me herbs and spices. In time, I gained muscle, and common sense. When a stray rover brought word to Rafiki that the clan had been brutally attacked, I came and aided Rafiki in putting the clan back together. When our work was done, he told me to stay- that I was needed there. When I saw my mother, she called to the others and told them who I was. They hardly remembered me, but remembered my mother had bore children four years before- pups who had disappeared without trace. When my story was revealed, they killed the leader- who had not been attended to yet. Thus, from my years gone and unremembered, I was 'Forgotten'."

Uhru's face was emotional. "You have traveled long. And you have done a good service. For me, your name will be 'Amara-Esala.' I give my word that our kingdom will give you eternal rewards for your service." The hyena's face lit up. She nodded. "Yes, your Highness." Uhru looked to Ahadi, who was shifting foot-to-foot. Then she spoke sharply, remembering his crude words earlier. "AHADI, perhaps YOU can settle her in." He lowered his head. "Yes, Uhru." As they left, Taka was quiet. His mother had never been violent before. Ever. He was scared of her now, after seeing how she had been with Redasa.

A/N- Well, nothing like a little violence to get you going eh?


	3. Expectant News

**A/N: I DONT OWN ZE LION KING GOT IT? This disclaimer will last for all chapters of this, for I am quite forgetful. mm'kay?**

"Mother… were you really going to kill Redasa? I mean, it was only a fight. I have to learn how to hold my own, don't I?" She looked at him in surprise. "Takari, I would never kill a cub. I did that… in anger and disappointment. Atsu was my best friend when I was your age. We fought for you father, even. To know her cub would harm you is something I don't understand. And play fights usually don't involve somebody getting hurt. As for holding your own, you are going to be a king- your word will be command, with no one to question your authority. With your rank, my sweet little baby boy, you don't need to worry about keeping your place." She paused, considering something. "Unless you feel you need to hold your own. Do you feel that way, honey?"

Taka was silent, seeming deep in thought. "Yeah, I do. I am weaker than everyone here! And how can I make my way in the world, make a mark, and please the great kings if you and the pride fight my battles for me?" His voice has grown until he was shouting at the top of his lungs. Before she could say anything- before she could even close her jaw, he ran into the den.

That evening, Ahadi and Uhru watched the sun go down, discussing their son's actions. "Do you think I was wrong? Do I really make him feel like a failure? Ahadi, stop playing with my tail and answer me!" Ahadi grinned from behind, then sighed and sat down. "Dear one, all boys go through this. After all, he's always been weaker than the others- but what he doesn't see is how much smarter he is. Our boy has a level of understanding that most don't. We just need to show him that. The way you handled Redasa today was harsh. And if Takari was right- if this was just a simple fight- well, maybe you overdid it. Remember, he and Redasa both love Zila. Err… Zira. If I had my guess, Red insulted Taka to make himself look 'big' in her eyes. She said something to shrink his ego, and he got mad. Taka probably was protecting her." Uhru put her head in his paws and rolled over, licking his chin. "Oh, Audshy… I just feel so horrible. I'm just trying to protect him. What if he never forgives me?"

Taka had been watching them for a few minutes. Seeing how he had hurt his mother near drove him to tears. "Mom… I'm sorry! Can you forgive me?" They turned their heads. "Were you spying on us, young man?" Ahadi said sternly. "No, I had a nightmare. Then I saw you talking…" He trailed off, racing to his mother, who rolled over just in time for him to jump into her paws. The trio laughed and talked for a while, then slept together.

Two days later, he joined his parents on the summit. "What is it, Dad?" He yawned as he sat down. They looked at each other, smiling from ear-to-ear. "What would you say if we told you a cub might be joining the pride?" "Really? When?" They chuckled. "Well, your mother tells me that you are going to be a big brother in a few months. How is that?" Takari's eyes had become large. "Yay, oh I'm going to be the best big brother ever! I'll take care of my brother.. or sister. Thank you so much!" The news was widely rejoiced, and when Zira's mother announced the day after the Queen that she, too was expectant, they were filled with joy that a betrothal could happen.

Three months passed by quickly, and soon Zira's mother bore a beautiful lion. "Nuhka… the second." She whispered, proudly licking her babe over. It wasn't but an hour later that Amara-Esala felt her time had come as well, and she brought a daughter to the world, calling her Shenzia, meaning "Salvaged from darkness." As Taka and Zira returned that evening, Zira became intrigued by the child, never had something been so tiny, so… helpless. Pride filled her eyes with every mew the cub made, every lick it's small, delicate tongue slurped.

But that next week, something dreadful happened. While Takari and his father were out checking the borders, they came across two little female cubs- not even weaned. The rank smell of death hung in the air, and as the two royals turned their heads to the left, their eyes caught sight of a female, obviously murdered, and also visibly the mother of the cubs. A thin-frame lion stood as the king and prince looked upon the sight. "What do you want? Be gone!" He roared, anger lacing his voice. When neither moved, the rogue launched himself onto Ahadi, causing Taka to be shoved to the side, thorns deeply gashing his sides. He made a cry of pain and fury, for how DARE anybody go for his father? He shot up, slamming his full body weight onto the lion mercilessly. But the lion was a fighter, not an ordinary animal who would have given up. Grey feet tossed the High Prince into the air, and for a moment, Taka was flying! His black mane suspended in the air as he went up- and crashed down in a belly-flop. The air was knocked out of him, and when Ahadi saw his boy fall, saw him lie so still, dread set in and he turned to the assailant, so sure his little one was dead. With fire in his eyes, Ahadi fought with all he had- but it wasn't enough.

A/N: Enjoy.


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